branson



(NoMod L) J. L. BRANSON & H. B'RINT'ON.

STOCKING BLANK. No. 334,339. Patented Jan. 12,1886

WITNESL gm- INVENTORS UNITED STATES PA ENT OFFICE.

JAMES L. BRANS'ON AND HENRY BRINTON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PA.

STOCKING-BLANK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 334,339, dated January 12, 1886.

Application filed April 24, 1855. Serial No.163,2-l6. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it'known that we, JAMES L. BRANSON and HENRY BRINTON, citizens of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stocking-Blanks, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing.

The nature of this invention is a blank of knitted fabric adapted for use in making ribbed stockings; and the invention consists of a blank of. tubular fabric, such as shown in the annexed drawing, of which the two ends constituting the leg portions of two stockings are formed of a fabric of tuck-stitch knitting connected bya continuous fabric of ordinary rib-work constituting the foot portions of said two stockings.

The object of the invention is to facilitate the production of stockings of the class mentioned.

In carrying out the invention we make use, preferably, of an automatically operating knitting-machine, and we knit that part of the stocking marked A, in the annexed drawing, which is to constitute the leg of the finished article, with a tuck-stitch, and then changing to a rib-stitch, B, continue to knit the latter stitch a distance equal to or somewhat greater than the length of the feet of the stockings to be made. The stitch is then changed to a tuck-stitch, anda portion, A, is again knit as before. This completes the blank, which is severed from the web on the machine, and the plain ribbed portion of said blank is cut as on the line abcd, be,'and cf, each blank thus cut being adapted to make two stockings by sewing or seaming together in the usual manner, as in the making of ordinary cut goods. In practice, however, we make a welt-stitch at the end of each blank. so as to prevent unraveling at the top of the stocking.

Instead of changing abruptlyfrom a tuckstitch to a rib-stitch, we secure a more suitable shape at about the ankle part of the stocking by knitting a succession of rounds of alternate rounds of plain ribbing, 2, and tuck-work X, before proceeding with the knitting of the foot portion. This produces the graduallytapering shape about the ankle shown in the drawing.

It will be understood that the blanks are made continuouslythat is to say, first the tuck-stitch leg portion, then the plain rib foot portion, then a leg followed by the leg of the succeeding stocking, and so on in like succession.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- Ast-ocking-blank-having at each end'a tuckstitched leg portion connected to an intermediate ribbed foot portion by a succession of tapering alternate ribbed and tuck stitches, as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto affixed our signatures this 15th day of April, A. D. 1885.

JAMES L. BRANSON. HENRY BRINTON. \Vitnesses:

R. KENNEDY, AUGUST WEBER. 

